WorldFish and the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies recently release a report exposing aquaculture’s link to poverty reduction. This is the first study to provide conclusive proof of the “long suspected” link between aquaculture and poverty reduction.

The ten-year study analyzed changes in fish consumption in Bangladesh and provides new evidence for the need to invest in aquaculture as “a way to alleviate global poverty and hunger.” The study found that growth in aquaculture leads to greater fish consumption among the poorest consumers in Bangladesh. It was previously assumed that the benefits of increasing aquaculture in the area would come solely from increased employment, but this study shows that it also leads to increased health from consuming more fish.

“Sustainable aquaculture has long been acknowledged as an important tool in the fight against global hunger,” explained WorldFish Director General Stephen Hall in a news release. “As evidence consistently proves this point, there will be greater incentive for investment in the sector while at the same time supporting the development of sustainable wild capture fisheries.”

The report also notes that while aquaculture has increased the availability of fish and therefore reduced prices, the supply of wild capture fish has diminished. More than 70 percent of rural households depend on wild caught fish to some extent, so it is important to implement policies that will also support sustainable wild capture fisheries.

About the Author

About the Author: Emily Tripp is the Publisher and Editor of MarineScienceToday.com. She holds marine science and biology degrees from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and a Master of Advanced Studies degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. When she's not writing about marine science, she's probably running around outside or playing with her dog. More from this author.

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